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First experience and employment starter pack



There are many guides on the Internet on how you can get experience and/or employment but plenty can be impractical. Well if you’re living in Australia then this is the basic know-how to starting off on the right track.

Step 1: Get it together

(Ignore this step if you’re only after volunteering or unpaid internships)

There are three basic accounts that you need to have when you’re going for employment. First you need a bank account (du’h) so your employers can transfer you your paychecks. Second you need to have a tax file number otherwise known as a TFN. The Australian Taxation Office issues this unique identifier for you, the taxpayer. If you are carrying an enterprise in Australia for example as a contractor, freelancer or an entrepreneur, you need both TFN and an Australian Business Number (ABN) – yes uber-drivers you need an ABN. You will need an ABN when you’re required to invoice businesses for the work you did for them. Third, you need a superannuation account. Companies set this organizational pension program to benefit its employees in the future. All superfunds will be stored in your superannuation account until you choose to retire or withdraw.

Tick these three boxes before you start:

  • Bank Account

  • Tax File Number

  • Superannuation Account

Step 2: Prepare Your Proposal

Have your information ready for your employers. Remember, your CV, cover letter and LinkedIn profile are used as your personal branding materials so make sure there are no grammatical errors in there. Having a consistent and well designed CV and cover letter also appeals more to your employers. This doesn’t mean that you need to have graphics or logos all over; it simply means that you customize your CV and cover letter according to the jobs you are applying to and maintain a consistent color-scheme throughout. Adding one bold color helps make your CV and cover letter stand out as well. Another tip is also to keep your CV at one page only and avoid putting your photo in as it encourages the employer to form unconscious bias towards you. Ask your friends and/or university career counselors to check and advice on the content and design of your CV and cover letter.

For your LinkedIn, you can basically have the same content as you do on your CV. With LinkedIn however, you can add links, recommendations and certifications, all the little details that you are unable to fit in your CV. More on optimizing your LinkedIn page later!

Have these three ready:

  • Curriculum Vitae (CV)

  • Cover Letter

  • LinkedIn Profile

Step 3: Understanding your rights and entitlements

When looking for experience in Australia it is important to know the current employment law for reasons of understanding your rights and entitlements. I have broken these down to three key topics:

1. Minimum Wage

The current national minimum wage in Australia as of July 2018 is $18.93 per hour. Wages differ depending on the occupation, seniority level and industries but all must abide to not paying less than the national minimum wage. If the company that you’re working for pays less than the latter then you have the right to report it to authority.

Read: https://www.fairwork.gov.au/how-we-will-help/templates-and-guides/fact-sheets/minimum-workplace-entitlements/minimum-wages

2. Contractual Agreements

You need to be aware of your rights and entitlements before you sign on your contract. First things first, read it thoroughly and ask questions to your employers when you don’t understand it. Make sure you cross check the contract with the current employment regulations as well. Generally there are three main types of employment: full-time, part-time, and casual (also fixed term, shift workers, daily/weekly hires, probation and outworkers). Each type of employment receives different entitlements.

To know more about your entitlements go to https://www.fairwork.gov.au/employee-entitlements/types-of-employees.

3. Work Experience and Internships

More often than not, students are unaware of their entitlements when completing internships. Smaller firms may be unaware of the laws surrounding this as well so listen up!

In Australia, internships are meant to be paid unless it is a vocational placement, meaning that it can be included as part of your university subject or school credits. This means that unpaid internships are unlawful unless it satisfies the latter requirements. To figure out whether your unpaid work experience is unlawful go over these factors: reason for arrangement, length of time, significance to the business, what you’re doing and who’s getting the benefit. This law is great as it ensures the university/school to take responsibility in ensuring the safety of their students and protects them from exploitation during the period of their work. However there are ways to go around this. If you’re really keen on taking an internship for the experience and you don’t mind not getting paid then you can purchase insurance from third party companies. Prices will differ according to the length of your ‘employment’.

Read more at https://www.fairwork.gov.au/pay/unpaid-work/work-experience-and-internships

For more details regarding regulations pertaining to your employment visit Fair Work Government Australia’s webpage. They have information on protections at work, redundancy, hours of work, public holiday, bullying and harassment in workplace and more. Please proceed on contacting them if you have any complaints or questions regarding your employment.

You’re all set now! Go get it.


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